You're in the army now..

Who remembers army training? I remember the running.

The other things like sitting at 3 in the morning getting your bed perfectly square with starch and two clothes irons, using a toothbrush to clean your bedframe, or sitting outside in the freezing cold while you polish your boots so that bits of boot polish don’t fall on the floor – those are all small things.

Basics (or boot camp I think they call it in the US) was a doddle, there was always a slower fat person in the group. You always had a moment or two to rest before you had to run around the tree/bungalow/church/whatever they thought of next again. But then came the leadership courses. And the running started. Running from the bungalow to the showers. Running to the parade ground. Walking was not allowed. Except if you were on crutches. And even then you had to hobble fast. Ten clicks at sun up. With bridge parts. Ten clicks before lunch. With telephone poles. And truck tyres. And a quick ten clicks again at sundown to cool down, this time only with rifle and boots. And in between there’s the hour of physical training. To get fit.

Then we got fit. And the distances changed. Or the time got less. But the running never stopped. I did get fit. Somewhat strangely, I gained weight. But I suppose I was a skinny little runt…

It’s twenty year later. I still hate running. And no matter what people say, I don’t think I’ll ever change my mind.